One of my favorite ways to spend a fall weekend is to visit an apple orchard. We hit the Mother Lode on a Saturday in October when my husband and I were visiting our daughter in Wisconsin and found a cluster of apple farms.

Our objective that day was to buy a sweet apple that could be made into applesauce without any added sugars. That for us turned out to be the Spartan variety of apple that I used in making this applesauce. I have since peeled, cored, sliced, and cubed 12 pounds of apples. My daily breakfast of a soft-boiled egg with toast fingers has been replaced for now, by bowls of applesauce topped with vanilla yogurt and freshly-toasted walnuts. There's a pork roast in our future and I'm hoping there will still be some applesauce to serve alongside; but the way we've been eating this up, there may not be.

• 6 pounds of your favorite apple (I used a Spartan), peeled, sliced thick and slices cubed* 2 cups fresh apple cider• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon• freshly-squeezed lemon juice, to taste1. Place all of the apples in a large (5 quart) sauté pan or a large heavy pot. Add the apple cider and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a good simmer and cover. Cook for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to simmer until cider and juices have been reduced. Add the cinnamon and lemon juice to taste ( I used about 2 teaspoons). Cool and refrigerate.2. Eat applesauce as is, or top with (vanilla) yogurt and toasted walnuts.